Movies will start small and go big with 100 per cent occupancy

On Sunday Union Minister for Information amp Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar announced that cinemas will be allowed to operate at 100 per cent occupancy from February 1 thus spreading cheer among the film industry and exhibition sector Trade analysts believe the latest decision will give producers the muchneeded confidence to bring out the big gunsTuesdays amp FridaysGetting audiences back in theatre depends on how quickly we put out compelling films Master Tamil film grossed approximately Rs 200 crore from its theatrical run It proved that people are waiting to return to movie hallsrdquo begins trade analyst Akshaye Rathi He cautions that only small offerings are lined up for the coming weeks mdash Monster Hunter on February 5 Tom and Jerry and Sanjay Leela Bhansalirsquos production Tuesdays amp Fridays on February 19 ldquoNow with 100 per cent occupancy a fresh slew of announcements must followrdquo adds RathiRanveer Singhs 83 was to originally release on April 10 last yearOnly hours into the announcement a change in release calendar began Viineet Kumar Singhrsquos Aadhaar which was poised for a February 5 release stands postponed The spokesperson of Jio Studios says ldquoTo convert this opportunity into higher footfall we need big films like Roohi Afzana and Mimi Smaller films like Aadhaar can follow laterrdquoRoohi Afzana features Rajkummar Rao and Janhvi KapoorThe recent development begs the allimportant question Will Akshay Kumarrsquos Sooryavanshi and Ranveer Singhrsquos 83 finally hit the marquee almost 11 months after their originally intended release ldquoWe have been planning to bring one of our movies in the last week of March or the first week of April We are studying the cost of having held the films for a year and other commercials and will soon announce the release datesrdquo promises Shibasish Sarkar chief executive officer Reliance Entertainment groupAadhaars release is postponedThe new set of Standard Operating Procedures SOPs in theatres includes mandatory use of masks availability of touchfree hand sanitisers at entry and exit points thermal screening of audience and staff staggered shows downloading the Aarogya Setu app and increased digital booking of tickets Sarkar adds ldquoAround the globe cinemas have opened from June People will follow safety protocols I donrsquot foresee theatres having an adverse impact on the control measures of the virusrdquo